MidNite Wander
by SeigiTsuki
Summary: Kia is a normal American teenage girl in 9th grade, unless you count the fact that her favorite character from YuYu Hakusho comes to her school looking for her...please read and review..
1. Preppy Girls, Anime and School

**Title:** MidNite Wander

**Author:** SeigiTsuki

**Rating:** pg-13

**Category:** Adventure/action/slight romance/comedy

**Author's Note:** _This is a YuYu Hakusho fanfic, I made it during the last couple of days at school. The school and library (so far) are the ones in my town. The schedule was mine, but I have no school now, the 5th was the last day. This is also in first person._

**Summary:** Kia is an avid YuYu Hakusho fan, so you would think that having her favorite YYH character come to her school, would delight her. But he is there on a mission. Can he find out if Kia is someone's reincarnation before its to late? Well ya gotta read to find out.

**AN:** here are some of the words you may not know:

_Hai _-Yes  
_Nani?_-What  
_Gomen_-sorry  
And words like :this: are Hiei's thoughts

**MidNite Wander**

**Chapter 1:** Preppy Girls, Anime and School.

Sitting in Study Hall, the announcements sounding monotone like always, a sudden excited whisper ran through all the females. Looking around I noticed, that it was in fact, only the girls. 'Hmm, must be a new guy or something.' I dismissed the thought and finished my math paper. Around fourth period though, my curiosity got the better of me. A couple of tenth grade girls walked by talking excitedly.

"Oh my gosh, he's sooo hot!"

"Yea I've never seen a foreign guy that hot, though most foreign guys are."

They turned the corner to go to their classes. I walked into my class room and sat down. A few more students walked in, then the bell rang.

'What sort of foreign guy can do that?' I wondered.

For the rest of the class, I only thought about the foreign guy. I just hoped I would be able to see him. 5a came and I went to my class, English. Even the people in there were talking about him. One of my acquaintances, Morgan, rushed up to me.

"Kia! Did you see him?"

"No I haven't yet, why?"

"Because, ohmygosh, he looks soooooo much like Hiei! You know from YuYu-"

I wasn't paying attention though, slowly I sat down, looking out the door of my class.

'Was-was that just-just oh my god, I think.uh.'

I was to surprised to even think. Hiei was standing in the door one minute, then gone when I blinked. I didn't know if I truly had seen him or not.

"He's amazing really, its uncanny how much he looks like him."

"Huh?"

I blinked and noticed my acquaintance, Morgan was still talking. She glared at me.

"Nothing your head was obviously in the clouds."

Turning away she stomped to her desk and then the bell rang. During the class, we watched a movie and I had time to think. The bell rang signaling the end of that period, off to 5b. Everyone in the class got up, I went to my locker. Putting away my 1st,2nd, 3rd and 4th period things, and getting out my 6th, 7th and 8th period books. Walking to the girls restroom, I heard the girls talking. I put down my supplies and found an empty stall. I went to the bathroom, and listened to the preppy girl's praising of Hiei.

"How did he get his hair like that?"

"I don't know."

"Why does he have a white head band on?"

"Maybe he's hiding something?"

I was getting annoyed. Done I walked out, trying to act like I wasn't listening. When I came out, my best friend Zea, was a little in front of me. I ran up to her going to the cafeteria.

"Hey Zea, have ya heard, Hiei is here?"

She looked at me like I was crazy, so I guessed she hadn't. We went to our table, then up to the lunch line. It was Friday, so we had pizza. Walking back to our table, I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched. It wasn't a paranoid feeling, more like a knowing, admiring feeling. As though whoever was watching me, knew me very well. It was sort of creepy.

I looked around, but didn't see anyone looking at me, so shrugging, I began to eat. Out of nowhere, a big group of girls, I guessed around 15, ran towards something all screaming and stuff. I almost dropped my pizza! Zea stood up and looked.

"I'm going to go look."

I shrugged.

"Ok its not like I care, really."

She left, I then talked to Kea my other best friend.

"I think it's the new guy." Kea said as she threw away her tray.

I put down my pizza.

"Yea probably is, he's the only thing that could get that many girls around him, heh."

Zea came back, she looked like she had seen a ghost.

"What's wrong?"

Sitting down slowly, she blinked then looked confused.

"Oh was it Hiei?"

Zea nodded slowly. I had figured as much. I had the same reaction when I saw him looking at me 5a.

I finally finished my pizza and threw away my styrofoam tray. Another big noise made everyone shut up. It sounded like someone made something explode. The girls around Hiei screamed and like started running around all panicky. Still sitting at our table Zea, Kea and I didn't see a trace of Hiei, he was gone.

'Hmm maybe he did that to get them away from him?'

:Yes I did.:

"Ahh!"

Zea looked at me funny.

"What's wrong?"

"Eh..noth nothing, I'm fine. Or as Melissa from Rune Soldiers would say,"I feel perfectly normal." Eheh."

Both Kea and Zea raised an eyebrow at me.

'Hi-Hiei?'

:Yes, it's me .:

'Oh eh that was kind of.erm..'

:Freaky.:

'Yes, is there something you want?'

I asked while looking around.

:No, its just...you look so much like her.:

'Huh? Like who?'

I was looking straight at him now.

:Like someone I knew a long time ago.:

'Oh, ok, is that bad?'

:No, its amazing really.:

I looked down at my digital watch.

'Oh, well the bell will ring, what class do you have next?'

:I have eh: he looked at his schedule, I could see him still.

:I have English next with a Mrs. Sadd:

I gasped out loud on accident.

"Hey you ok?" Kea asked

"Yea I'm fine, just realized something is all."

'Yea that Hiei is going to get mobbed again, damn that must suck.'

:Heh yea it does.:

'Oh jeez, you can read my thoughts when I'm not talking to you?'

:Yes its quite helpful at times.:

I glared at him.

:What was that for:

'Don't do that, read my thought when I'm not talking to you.'

:Why:

'Because I said so is why. You may hear things you never wanted to, heh!'

He gave me a quizzical look.

'What?' I asked.

:You can see my expressions that far away:

'Yes very easily.'

The bell rang

'Shit!'

I picked up my stuff and Hiei started to walk. Zea followed behind me, and Hiei started to walk beside me, while I was talking to Zea.

Nearing my classroom, I said bye to Zea, and about fell over when Hiei 'ahemd.'

"Ah, don't do that to me! Oh that's right, you have class with me."

"Yea.."

We entered the room and walked up to Mrs. Sadd.

"Uhm Mrs. Sadd?"

She looked up at me, smiled and said "Yes?"

"We have a new student."

'Hey what's your student name?'

:Oh uh..it's Danny Li.:

'Your kidding me?'

:Nope..says so right on my schedule.:

'Yes he should be Danny Li, correct?"

"Yes that's me."

Hiei walked up to the desk. Mrs. Sadd smiled at him.

"Can I see your schedule?"

Hiei handed her the paper. She looked it over and 'mhmmd.'

"Ok class, we have a new student."

The class quieted and looked up at us. I was still standing up by Hiei and I moved closer to him.

"His name is Danny Li, Danny is there anything you want us to know about you?"

Hiei thought a moment.

"No not really."

Mrs. Sadd laughed nervously. "Ah ok, well you can sit behind Kia."

I walked over to my desk and Hiei followed, the whole class watching. I looked at them.

"What?"

They all began to nervously talk to each other. Mrs. Sadd took the attendance again to be sure everyone was back.

I put my things on my desk and was straitening them out, when I got poked in the back. I turned around to see what Hiei wanted.

"Yea?" I said quietly.

"Why are all the people staring?"

"Because they don't know how to mind their own business."

I said that loud enough for the whole class to hear. They all started to laugh nervously.

"How come every time you talk loud they get all nervous?"

"Heh because they're worried I'll pummel their faces in."

Hiei thought a moment. "Hn, it seems you are the top dog in this class?"

"Well I never really thought of it that way, but I guess I am."

"Kia-Danny-Cisco-Morgan." Mrs. Sadd was still taking attendance.

Everyone knew she was pretty, but also that, well she was sort of a flake. Eh. It took her longer to do non English related things than most teachers. But she was most people's favorite anyway.

"Class…ok we are ready to begin. Rob will you put the movie in and start it? Cisco you turn off the lights."

The movie got underway, it was Auntie Maim. Yes---maim, like you maim something. Nice name isn't it? I thought so eh. Gag, ok back to the story.

During the movie, like everyone was watching us watch the movie. It was starting to annoy Hiei. But every time he looked at them, the girls would all melt. It was scary, but when I looked at them, they nervously started to watch the movie. And every time I would laugh, it was funny. Hiei must've thought it was amusing, because every time I scared them, he would 'hn', it was getting annoying. But I knew he did it all the time.

Morgan turned to us and she extended her hand to Hiei.

"Hi, I'm Morgan Eastwood. This movie is gay isn't it?"

She waited for Hiei to shake her hand, but he didn't. Instead he raised an eyebrow at her.

"She means stupid."

He looked at me, then back at Morgan.

"Hai."

Morgan frowned.

"Hai means yes in Japanese."

Morgan nodded then looked at Hiei one last time before turning back to the 'gay' movie. I sighed and looked back at the tv.

'I knew it…damn.'

:Damn what:

'That's what I'm damning, you reading my thoughts. I had forgotten.'

Hiei 'hn'd' and then everyone watched the movie again.

My next class was Spanish. It was incredibly boring today for no reason. Usually Spanish was fun. Maybe it was because I was worried about Hiei. Seventh period was also boring. In fact school is always boring. After school I had an anime club meeting to go to. It was on Tuesdays, then it was on Thursdays, now its on Fridays.

As I walked through the Cafeteria, I saw the same group of girls from lunch.

'Hiei, you ok?'

:Eh..erm..yea I'm fine.:

I looked beside me and he was there.

"Whoa oook, weren't you just..?"

"Yes but I got away obviously."

"Heh, ok because I was worried."

"Hn"

We were now outside crossing the crazy school drive way.

"So, are you going to like, follow me around?"

Hiei looked at me funny.

"Hai."

"Why?"

"I have to."

"Nani!"

"I have to."

"Gomen. It just er…came out.eheh."

We were now walking down the sidewalk to the library.

"Well I have an anime meeting to go to, unless you already knew that by reading my mind and all."

Hiei stopped. I stopped.

"What's wrong?"

"No, they- they're coming!" he whispered.

"Who's coming is it the--." I stopped. Hiei was behind me.

That same damn group of girls, who Hiei told me, now had 20 in the group, stood before us.

"Ahem…is there something you preps want?"

One girl walked up to me, I'm guessing she's the leader.

"No we want the guy behind you."

I looked over my shoulder, smiled at him, then turned back to the prep.

'Don't worry Hiei, I have this soo covered. Heh.'

The girl, let's just call her Leader, since I didn't want to ask her, her name, frowned at me.

"What are you smiling at?" I looked back at her.

"Me? Smiling? I don't think so. That's what's wrong with preps. They cant tell a smile from a smirk, sarcasm from the truth. It's starting to bother me ya'know? No of course not, who am I trying to kid?"

Leader was starting to get impatient, it was soo obvious and I was soo loving it.

"What ever, we just want that guy, what's his name?" She looked back at her 'crew'.

"Danny Li." I answered her, without looking at her.

"Yea that one. Well that speech of yours was quite boring and we'll be going with…Danny now."

She went to move around me, but ended up in my face.

"Oh, sorry what was it you were mumbling about? Oh right, taking Danny? Well, you aren't going anywhere with him, without a fight.

The girls behind her all gasped. It was quite amusing. Leader stopped a minute, huffed and tried to get pass me again. Then she got annoyed and backed up.

"Like I said, nowhere without a fight."

Leader stood contemplating whether she should keep trying or to back away now.

:Is she going to fight:

'I don't know, you're the one who can read minds!'

:Oh yea, I can:

I rolled my eyes at him. There was starting to get a crowd also, wondering when the fight would start. I turned to the people.

"Sorry but I don't think there will be a-."

I ducked as Leader sent a kick that probably would of knocked my head clear off my shoulders. Turning around I saw her with a smirk on her face.

"Oh sorry, what were saying? There won't be a fight? So you give up?"

"No way bitch, why the hell would I do that!"

Now she looked upset.

"Oh sorry heh, did I hurt your pride? Good, someone needs to."

She started to run at me, I easily dodged her, Hiei was up in a tree. The crowd started to cheer, she ran at me again, and ran straight into my fist. The crowd 'oohed' like it hurt. Some of the crowd laughed, it was pretty funny. Backing up she ran to her ever faithful followers.

"So you give up?"

"Yea just sta-stay away!"

The crowd dispersed, a little disappointed. Then Hiei came down, I smiled at him, looked at my watch, swore and dashed off. I ended up being 2 minutes late for my meeting. Once I got in the library, I walked over to the meeting room door and saw the people. I opened the door and walked in.

"Sorry Missa, I uh, got held back…er...ah, hey!"

"Eep, sorry."

Hiei ran straight into me, then stood behind me.

"Oh Missa?"

"Yea?"

"Uh, I have a friend today, he's decided to follow me. Can he stay?"

"Sure, just come in and sit so we can start."

"Hai."

Hiei followed me and sat beside me.

"Oh this is Hiei as you can plainly see, if you watch YuYu Hakusho."

Everyone's mouth fell open, then they all started talking at once.

I laughed slightly at the commotion they were making.

"Hold on, hold on everyone. SHUSH!"

Missa was trying to get a hold on the group.

"Kia, you're saying, -shush, jeez-, that this young man here, is really an anime character from the show YuYu Hakusho, which airs on Cartoon Network at 6pm?"

"Wow, you're precise today Missa, yes that's exactly what I'm saying."

She nodded, then sat down.

"Yea about that, how is that remotely possible?"

I shrugged.

"Dun know. Hiei hasn't told me how that's possible yet.

Everyone who was not looking at him before, was now. His face was slightly darker now, than about 2 minutes ago.

"Well, I'm not at the ah liberty to ah release that information to random people. Just know that it is and I'm here on mission."

:Oh and them damn preps are persistent, until they run into fists, that is.:

I laughed out loud at his last silent comment. Missa and 2 guys looked at me funny.

"What?"

"Nothing, can we get started already?"

I nodded and sat down, Hiei sat as well.

"Ok, well today is the day that we will put all of your characters together and think of a theme for the comic."

People started to get papers out, and I opened my book bag. Then dug out my art folder, I took out my character's bio and pictures. Her name is Osiris Flame.

"Ok Kia, would you like to go first?"

I shook my head. "No not really. What am I supposed to do?"

"Oh right, I forgot, you pass the pictures around and read the bio to us."

I gulped, a dreading feeling in gut.

"Ah haha, no that's ok, someone else can go first, then I'll go next." Missa looked at me sternly.

"Fine, Dew you go first.

Dew got up, he passed his character around.

"Well my character's name is Click. He is a human, and he has a lot of muscles. Haha."

Missa got the paper.

"I see, well what else is there about him?"

"I don't know, only that he is human, has a lot of muscles and his name is Click."

'Oh yay, this is going to be one long meeting.' I thought as I got Osiris's info ready.

END Chap 1

**AN:** _Hiya all! I hope you don't find this too incredibly boring. It wont be later in the next chapters, I've already started chapter 2. please R&R_

Seigi Tsuki


	2. A surprise and greetings

**MidNite Wander**

**AN:** _Eh soooo sorry it took me so long to update, was being a pain. Wow I got some reviews already and I just put chap 1 out a couple of days ago that's so cool! Thanx SiriousB1 for the Anime E-Card, it was cool. Y'all should go look at SiriousB1's stuff, it's awesome. Ok, well on to chap 2, uh it should start to pick up speed soon, within the next couple of chapters, so be sure u review so I know if you like it._

**Chapter 2:  
**A surprise and greetings

After the club was done, I went outside to wait for my mom, Hiei followed me. There were a lot of people watching us, it was getting annoying.

"Uh, Hiei, are you coming to my house to?"

He looked around, then nodded.

"Uhm, well I'm not exactly sure what my mom's reaction to that will be."

"Oh well, she'll have to deal with it, I still need to take you somewhere."

I turned and looked at him. "Like where?"

He smiled, "I can't tell you, you'll have to wait 'till tomorrow."

I gave him the death glare but he just smirked. Just then a black Chevy Sebring pulled up beside us.

"Hey Kia!"

"Hi mom!" My mom looked behind me at Hiei. "Uh, who's your friend?"

I looked behind me at Hiei. "Oh, this is Hiei, uh he said he's coming home with me tonight

because he needs to take me somewhere tomorrow."

My mom looked a little worried. "Don't worry mom, he's one of the good guys." Hiei huffed when I said that and I smirked at him.

'Hmm he still doesn't consider himself a good guy yet?'

:No I don't, I just happen to be stuck with them.:

I got in the car and sat by my youngest sister, Ray, so Hiei could sit by the window.

"Goods guys?"

"Yea from YuYu Hakusho, its one of the shows I watch, you should know that mom, it's the only one I tape!"

My mom hit herself in mock stupid-ness. "Oh yea, one of those shows you are constantly watching that have a zillion characters."

She started to go into the parking lot, to turn around.

"Yea one of those, jeez mom." She turned and looked at me.

"Well since he's already in the car, might as well take him with us."

I smiled at her, but was brought back by Hiei.

:Uh, why are these girls staring at me:

'Who, Ray and Leigh, probably because they have never seen a guy whose hair sticks almost straight up, at least not in real life.'

He smirked and and Ray looked back out the window, Leigh smirled back then turned to the front.

"Kia, how is that possible?

"What?"

"A cartoon character…coming to our time."

"I don't know, ask Hiei yourself."

She shook her head, I laughed. Mom turned on the radio, we went home.

Getting out of the car, I went up the porch stairs and unlocked the door to our house, and walked in. Then put the keys down and helped my mom put her stuff away. Hiei walked in and looked around. In five minutes he had seen every part of our property, including the front and back yard. My sisters went upstairs, I suspected to be out of Hiei's way

I had the feeling they were being shy. Going downstairs in the basement, I turned on the computer and then the tv. Turning on the vcr I checked to see which YYH episode had been taped. It was one I've seen, the episode called; Byakko the White Tiger. Then the computer was finished turning on. I went over and sat down to check a couple of websites.

Hiei came downstairs about five minutes later and stood behind me, watching. I turned around when a page was loading.

"Do you have to stand right behind me?" I asked out of annoyance.

He just smirked and stood there like he was retarded or something.

:Yes, if it annoys you, then I must.:

He laughed slightly and then leaned on the back of my chair.

"Why, are you doing something bad?"

I shook my head. "No, I'm just looking at the stuff I normally do, which people don't normally stand behind me and watch."

I turned back around to the screen and saw what I was looking for.

'Yes, it updated!' I thought. Hiei smirked again.

:You seem pretty happy.:

"Yea I would've gone insane if it didn't." I turned around and looked at him, with big shiny stars in my eyes, like in Shôjo mangas.

He backed up a little and his eyes widen a second before he regained his icy cool again.

"Haha, did I scare ya?" He shook his head.

"No, I just wasn't aware that normal people were capable of that sort of expression."

I laughed at him again before turning back to my computer, after I was done checking the website, I turned off the computer.

"Well, uh…lets go upstairs, its cold down here." We headed up stairs and then I looked around a minute. Ray and Leigh were at the top of the stairs that go to the second story. I smiled at them, Hiei looked at them and they disappeared around the corner, I could hear them giggling.

"Girls.." he whispered as I walked into the kitchen. I figured I should properly introduce him to my mom.

"Hey mom! Come here a minute!" My mom walked into the kitchen from the living room.

"Yea?"

"Uh I'm going to properly introduce you to Hiei. Hey come here Hiei!"

He walked over from the shadows, which happened to be right behind my mom. She jumped slightly when he spoke.

"What?"

"Ok mom, this is Hiei, Hiei my mom." They shook hands and then my mom got a little antsy.

"Uh mom, what's wrong?" She looked back at the living room. "Oh uh I was watching a show, that I like."

I smiled and then shooed her away to the living room. 'My mom is weird.'

Hiei agreed, then I saw one of my cats. "Hey there's Tarzan!" I ran to him and picked him up.

"Oh Hiei this is one of my three cats, Tarzan, he's my cat. Feico is Ray's cat and Callie is Leigh's cat."

Hiei just raised an eyebrow at me, with an expression that read: And I would want to know this unimportant information because? Heh, I stuck my tongue out at him and then went outside.

Yes, life at my house is boring. That's why we aren't staying here very long.

Hiei followed me outside, I walked to the edge of the woods and stared into them for a moment, before Hiei touched my shoulder and about gave me a heart attack.

"Uh Hiei?"

He smiled at me and then disappeared into the woods. I stood and waited for him to come back.

:Yes, it's here.:

I smiled and ran through the woods, a doe was laying in the opening of the trees and it bleated as it saw me.

"Awww she's so cute." I whispered. Hiei landed beside me and watched as I neared it. The doe stood up and then its mother came out of the shadows. After ten minutes communing with the deer, we went back into the house.

We stayed up until almost 11pm, because Hiei said we would need rest for the next day. So then we went to bed and Hiei woke me up at 6am the next morning, which is never a good idea on the weekend.

"Hiei!" I whined as he drug me outta my bed and onto the floor. "Jeez can't you be a little less rough?"

He let go of me and then leaned his head down with his eyes closed. "No, now get ready, we're leaving."

I stood up and walked right up to him. He opened an eye, to see if I was getting ready.

"No, you woke me up at 6am on a Saturday, you realize the trouble you have just gotten yourself into? I doubt you would, even if it hit you right in the face."

I smirked and sat down on my bed, closing my eyes as I tried to get the boiling anger to stay down.

"If you would of just told me, I wouldn't be mad. I would be getting dressed and ready to go. Oh and what about my mom? Does she know that we are supposed to leave now?"

Hiei shrugged and stood up all the way. "Well it doesn't matter because your going no matter what she said. I still have my mission you know."

I sighed and stood up also, then started to shove Hiei.

"If I'm going to get ready…uh you cant be in here.." I shoved him out of the room, he's pretty strong even at 6am.

I closed the door and turned around. 'Now what to wear, hmmm no uh…nope not that either…hmm aha! That's perfect!'

I was flinging clothes left and right out of my dresser until I found my black hot pants (which are shorts) and my black turtle neck tank top that went with it. There is purple over coat that goes with it also.

I hurriedly threw on my calf high boots, brushed and put up my hair and then went out of my room. Hiei was standing outside my door.

"Bout time. Took ya five minutes to do that?"

"Huh. Shows how much you know. Normally it would take me about fifteen minutes to do that."

He gave me another one of those looks that said, 'And I would want to know that because?' I just walked by him to my mom's room.

"Mom? Mom uh..Hiei has to take me to that place I said yesterday, ok?"

"Mmmhmmm djust mmmph mph mmph."

I laughed, it was obvious that my mom wasn't awake, so I left her a note to.

After finishing the note, I nodded to Hiei and we went outside.

"How are we getting to this place of yours?"

"Through the portal opener I brought with me."

I looked at him like he was crazy, then shrugged and waited for him to open it. He did, it was the coolest thing I've ever seen. There was a swirl of bright colors and the hole looked like it went on forever.

"Just get inside it, stand up, close your eyes and stay still. It has a sort of effect like when the Sailor Moon girls change. Wind blows all around you and then you feel your feet leave the ground for a couple minutes, then you land and the wind stops. Once the wind stops you can open your eyes. Then you'll see me."

I nodded as I tried to remember everything he had just said.

'Get in, stand up, close eyes, stay still. Wind stops, open eyes, find Hiei. Got it.'

I watched as Hiei climbed in and then vanished. I blinked and then I could get in. So mustering all the courage I had at 6am in the morning, I climbed in. I stood up and closed my eyes. Then all of a sudden wind started to blow around, it was sort of cold yet warm at the same time. Then I felt my feet lift off the ground for about a minute, then I felt the ground again.

'Wait for the wind to stop, then open eyes.' I told myself as I realized I would be able to get out soon. Soon after the wind died down slowly and I slowly opened my eyes.

"Gah I can't see! Oh wait, that's better." My hair was in my eyes.

"Jeez I really am stupid in the morning, now to find Hiei."

I looked around and still saw colors swirling around me. Shrugging I took a step forward and ran into something solid and warm.

'Hiei?'

:Yea, what'd ya run into me for:

I hmphed and then he grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the swirling stuff. I blinked and then could see clearly again.

We were in a field surrounded by a forest. There were a lot of different trees, Pines, Oaks, Birch, Dogwoods and the grass in the field was to about our knees and a yellowish green color.

"Oh wow…this is so pretty." I whispered more to myself then Hiei. He smirked and then started to walk.

"Isn't it though?"

I finally realized he was leaving and ran to catch up to him.

"So uh where is it that we are going?"

"You have to meet my er friends."

My eyes widened. His friends? Oh wow that was just what I wanted to do, meet the rest of YuYu Hakusho.

"You mean Yusuke, Botan, Kuwabara, Kurama, Yukina, Keiko, Shizuru and Koenma?"

Hiei's eyes widened a moment also as he turned and looked at me.

"Uh you forgot Genkai."

"But I thought she died?"

Hiei shook his head.

"No you silly human, only in the show, we have lives besides the ones in the show. Just like human actors."

I thought a moment.

"Oh I get it, ok and Genkai."

We continued to walk for about ten more minutes, then a clearing could be seen up ahead of us. There were a couple of cabins in the clearing and picnic tables. I could hear people talking and recognized Yusuke and Keiko having another stupid quarrel like always. I smiled to myself because for some reason it felt natural to be in this area, even though I was sure I never been here before.

Hiei ran ahead to tell them that I was coming and I had to stay behind for a minute. When he came back he about knocked me over trying to get me to go.

"What the heck got into you Hiei?" I asked as he shoved me.

"Eh nothing your just taking to long, hurry up." I shook my head and then started to walk myself.

Everyone got quiet when I entered the clearing, the first person I actually say was Kurama.

"Yes Hiei, she looks remarkably like her." Kurama walked over to me, circling and then stood in front of me.

"Oh sorry, I am Kurama." He extended his hand to me. I smiled and shook his hand.

"Yes, I know who all of you are. So there is no need for introduction. But I am Kia, if you didn't already know."

Kurama nodded and then Yusuke walked up.

"What's so darn important about her?" I shrugged as he looked at me like I knew the answer.

"She doesn't know what's going on Yusuke, so if I were you I would leave her alone."

Hiei threatened as Yusuke walked by me. Botan walked over also, and then everyone else did as well.

"Hi! I'm Botan and I've looked forward to meeting you since the day Hiei told me and Kurama about you."

Botan smiled and then ushered me over to one of the picnic tables. Then everyone gathered around me and started to ask questions about the 'real' human world. Hiei and Yusuke were off in the background somewhere, not paying attention to what everyone else was doing.

About fifteen minutes later of being questioned to death, it was Keiko's idea to have lunch that got them to leave me alone.

'Wow that's a friendly bunch there, except a few select people.'

I thought as I got off the table and stood up, stretching. I had the feeling that someone was watching me and turned around to see Hiei in the tree above me. I smiled at him, then Botan called me so I ran over to her.

"Yea?"

"Lunch is almost done, would you find Hiei and Yusuke?"

I looked a little worried when she asked me about Yusuke, for some reason he had a problem with me being here.

"No, I will go get Yusuke Botan, he has an attitude problem today." Keiko offered as I headed over to the tree with Hiei in it.

'Hey Hiei! Lunch is almost done, Botan wants you to come join us.'

I saw his shadow in the trees and heard him 'hmph' as he jumped down. He landed right in front of me and I eeped as I backed up a little.

He smirked and walked pass me. I shrugged to myself as I followed him. Yusuke was already at the table when we got back, he glared at me, but all I did was glare back. He quickly stopped and started to eat. I laughed slightly and sat between Kurama and Hiei.

We had hot dogs and macaroni and cheese, which surprised me, until Kurama explained the reason.

"We looked into human food before you came, and saw that Hot Dogs and Macaroni and Cheese was on the top of the favorite food list."

I laughed, smiled and then continued to eat. We had a lot of fun during lunch, and an interesting conversation.

flash back to interesting convo

:Shizuru: So Kia, uh are there any guys in your real human world, who are like Kuwabara?

:Kuwabara: What the heck is that supposed to mean Shizuru?

Shizuru laughed and hit him in the head

:Kia: Uh yea actually there are quite a few, except they don't mean well. And I don't think they have an honor code either.

Kuwabara grinned

:Kuwabara: Hahahaha! You hear that Shizuru? She basically said I was better!

:Hiei: Yea if you prefer a stupid orange headed baboon to protect you.

Kuwabara tries to lean across the table to reach Hiei, Hiei just sits there and makes faces at him, while Yusuke and Kurama try to hold Kuwabara back. I make the 'what did I do to deserve this' face and wait for them to stop. Keiko turns to me and tells me to ignore them, they just want attention. While Keiko is talking to me, Yusuke seems to be very interested in what we are talking about.

:Keiko: So in this 'Real' Human World, are there a lot of fans of YuYu Hakusho?

:Kia: Yea there are a lot, YYH is almost as famous as Sailor Moon, DBZ and Inuyasha.

:Keiko: Really? That's cool. She looked out into space a minute So are there a lot of guy fans?

:Kia: I laughed slightly, as I think I know where she is taking this "Yes, there are a lot of other guys who like you Keiko, if that's what a you are trying to get at."

Keiko blushed slightly before looking at Yusuke who was watching us.

:Keiko: Ahahaha you figured me out. Wow you are smart. I figured you would be, but I didn't think what Hiei told me was true.

:Hiei: What did I tell you Keiko?

Keiko looked a little worried. Hiei smirked.

:Keiko: Uh nothing..I'll tell you later. The last part she whispered to me.

:Kia: Uh ok. Heh

:Hiei: Kia come here a minute..

I stood up and followed him, but I could hear the others talking in a hushed whisper.

:Kia: Yea what is it Hiei?

:Hiei: Uh..oh yea. Heh I forgot a minute since that stupid orange headed baboon was talking so loud.

:Kia: so uh what is it:Hiei: I decided to tell you the reason I brought you here.

I must've got an excited expression on my face because Hiei smirked and then held up his hand.

Hiei: Hold on, lets go back further.

:Kia: ok, but you better tell me soon. I made a stern face and followed him as he lead us back into the woods.

Once back there, he stopped and stood in front of me.

:Hiei: Ok I had a partner way back when..

:Kia: You..had a partner? Are you sure? They weren't just someone you were going to torture but then grew fond of?

:Hiei: Uh no, I am sure she was my partner. But anyway, she was like my best friend, then one day we were sent on a mission to assassinate a very dangerous Demon lord. Well, the demon lord hear that we were out for him, so he set up traps to catch us before we got to him. Uh..he didn't get me, obviously, but.he got Manae.

:Kia: Oh..im sorry, but what does that have to do with me?

:Hiei: I'm getting there. The other day, I swear I could feel her soul, or the reincarnation of her. Kurama could feel it also, and said I should go check out the 'Real' Human World, just in case. So I started to follow the energy and it led me to your school. I figured I had to go under cover to find out who it was, so I enrolled and went there. That's when I found you. I tried to follow you throughout the day, but kept getting…distracted, if you'll call it that.

:Kia: Oh, wow, so I'm the reincarnation of Manae?

:Hiei: Yes, but that's not the problem. The problem is I fear someone is trying to destroy her soul. But I don't know why they would want to do that.

I sat down and tried to figure out what he just told me.

end of flash back

'So, I'm the reincarnation of a professional demon assassin and someone is trying to destroy our soul for no apparent reason…There has to be a reason, maybe I have some weird powers that she had that would endanger this person?'

:Most likely, she had some powers that she herself was not aware of yet.:

I looked up at Hiei and then off into the distant trees.

"Well, we need to figure this out soon. Before they decide to make a move, you know?"

Hiei looked down at me and smiled.

"Yea but I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

We got up and headed back to the cabins, everyone was looking for us. I just hoped I wouldn't die, especially since I was someone's reincarnation. But know that I think about it, maybe that's why I like to fight?

**AN:** _That's it for chapter 2 everyone. I hope it was a little more interesting than the first one. Fighting is coming soon, I swear._

Seigi Tsuki


	3. Detective work and the Present

**Disclaimer:** I do not own the YYH gang, nor do I own Sailor Moon or DBZ. I only own the original characters and the story line.

**AN:** _Hello, I think we are done shopping for now, for our trip, so I have time to write, and since people are so interested in this story, I will write chapter 3 for you all. Aren't you all so happy? lol Well since most of you are probably yelling "ON WITH THE FRIGGIN STORY ALREADY!" I will stop yapping._

**MidNite Wander**

**Chapter 3:**

Detective Work and Present

I ended up staying the night in the anime characters dimension, in one of the two cabins that were in the clearing. There was a long conversation between Hiei and Kurama about Manae and how I could be her reincarnation. I couldn't hear them, just some mumbling and Manae and Kia a lot. I really wished I had super hearing at that moment.

The next morning when I awoke, only Hiei, Kurama and Yusuke were awake. I sat up in my sleeping bag, rubbing my eyes and looked around. Kurama looked at me and smiled.

"Hello Miss Kia, did you sleep alright?"

"Yea Kurama, but you can just call me Kia."

He smiled again and closed his eyes.

"My deepest apologizes, I will remember that next time, Kia."

I smiled and got up, walking over to the table where Kurama and Hiei both sat. Hiei looked up when I approached and I swear I saw something of a smile flash quickly across his features. Sitting down beside Hiei and across from Kurama, I looked across the room at Yusuke, he was watching me, but then noticed I was watching him, and quickly looked away.

"What's his problem?" I asked, pointing to Yusuke.

Kurama sighed and folded his arms across his chest before replying.

"I guess he's so used to being the object of attention, that he's a little jealous."

I laughed slightly. 'Jealous? Of me? He doesn't have to worry about me, I have nothing for him to be jealous of.'

But I had forgotten Hiei's ability to read minds. Damn I hate when I do that. :Heh, you shouldn't put yourself down so hard.:

'Oh jeez, Hiei, do I ever get a moment of self torture peace?'

:Nope not really, not when you hang around me anyway.:

I sighed aloud and Kurama grinned, he probably suspected Hiei was mentally torturing me. I really should of sued them, for uh, uhm, Mental Insanity by force, if that's even really anything.

Yusuke heard the sudden bout of laughter that erupted from our direction. Hiei had seemed perfectly serious, but for some reason Kurama and I found his criticism of Botan hysterically funny. Yusuke got up and walked close to us, but not up to us.

"What the heck is so darn funny that you have to disrupt my meditation?"

I looked up at him and smiled. Hoping to finally get on good terms with him, since he is one of my favorite characters from Yu Yu Hakusho.

"Oh you were meditating? Sorry, it's not my fault Hiei is so frickin funny without trying. We'll try to be more quiet." I smiled again as he gave me a 'look' and wandered back over to his chair.

"You handled that quite well miss Kia, especially considering the fact that he seems to not like you very much."

"Kurama, its Kia, unless you really feel it appropriate to call me miss all the time."

Kurama slightly blushed as he realized he had called me miss again.

"Ah, sorry Kia, I guess it's just how I am."

I smiled and looked down at the table.

"It's ok, if you really feel the need to say miss, it doesn't bother me."

I looked at Hiei who was looking out the window beside him with such fascination, he looked like he had never seen a tree or even the ground before. It was amazing how realistic he made it seem.

"Uh, Hiei? Am I going to be allowed to go home at all? I do need to tell my mom what's going on, not that I know or anything, but she needs to know that I am safe."

Hiei just nodded and then Kurama stood up, seeing Botan and Keiko walk into the room we were in.

"Oh hello Botan, Keiko!" I said cheerfully as they walked over to us.

"Hello Kia, how are you?" Botan asked as she leaned against Kurama for support putting on her shoes.

"Well, to tell the truth, a little tired, but other than that I'm fine. What about you Keiko?"

Keiko looked at me then back at Yusuke. "Oh I'm fine, but I see that Yusuke still hasn't gotten over your arrival."

I sighed and looked over at Yusuke. "Yea I noticed, but he doesn't have to worry because I have to go home soon, to at least tell my mom I'm ok. All she got yesterday morning was a letter saying I was going with Hiei to the place he needed to take me."

I stood up and walked over to the door, putting on my calf high boots and pulled on my over shirt thingy that was purple.

"Ok Hiei come on, lets go now, so we can come back sooner."

"Hold your frickin horses, I have to get ready first."

"Jeez Hiei how long does it take you to get ready? Less than five minutes I assume?"

Keiko and Botan were clueless.

"What is she babbling about Botan?"

"Beats me, must be an insider joke or something."

Kurama walked over to them and leaned against the wall.

"Yes I believe it is, if I recall correctly, yesterday morning Hiei told her to get ready to come here, and she did, it took her all of five minutes and he was ragging on her about taking to long."

"How could she do it? Only in five minutes? That should be a world record or something!" Keiko exclaimed as Botan whistled in amazement.

"Yes and she told him it normally takes her around fifteen minutes to get ready."

"That seems about right don't you think Keiko?" Botan asked.

"Yes around fifteen is normal I believe."

Kurama smiled and then turned to look at Hiei who just finished getting ready and walked over to the door with me. "Kurama, how terrible are those wounds? Uh I mean, oh lord, where the hell did that come from? Hey author! Why the hell are you making me recite Yusuke's lines from the episode Byako the White Tiger? Huh huh huh?"

"Hehe, cuz I had the sudden impulse ok? Just leave me alone, I know what the hell I'm doing!"

Hiei made a face at the author and then looked back at Kurama.

:Lets try this again shall we.:

"Kurama, we wont be gone long. Make sure you don't answer the door for any salesmen, saleswomen, or people who look suspicious. We need to also hire a detective when we get back, so plan ahead for that if you can."

Kurama nodded remembering all that Hiei was telling him, my head was spinning just trying to keep up with him. I wondered how it was possible for Kurama.

"Ok, ready Hiei? It's ah, about time, my mom should be getting up soon, so we should be go-ing?" Hiei walked right past me as I was talking. I shrugged, waved to Botan, Keiko, Kurama and even Yusuke, though he just looked at me like I was stupid, and followed Hiei out.

He took out his portal opener from out of nowhere.

"Ah, Hiei, uhm..?"

I pointed to his opener, he gave me the look that said, 'You don't wanna know, ok? Just don't ask.' I silently agreed with that and waited for him to open it.

We went through again, basically same procedure, except the colors were a little different, and when you go back, you kind of spin around like the Sailor Moon girls.

Walking out of the portal, I looked around and saw Leigh outside with Ray, they were on the trampoline that is in our backyard. I walked up to the door and braced myself for a, ah, how should I put it, not a beating or anything, just, a scolding? I guess we can call it a scolding of a lifetime. Even though I left a letter.

"Mom? Are you up yet?" I asked uncertainly into the empty looking house.

"Kia? Where the hell have you been?"

"Uh I was with Hiei, didn't you see the letter I left you? It was on the breakfast bar."

Now my mom came into sight, she was in the living room reading a U.S. News magazine. She shook her head and sighed. "Whaaat? I didn't know how long I was going to be there, I didn't even know where I was going."

She looked behind me at Hiei, and he walked back outside.

:I don't think your mom really likes me.:

'Naw, she is just a little miffed at the moment.'

He hmphed, stuck his hands in his pockets and walked away. : Well don't take to long, we need to get back soon.:

I made a face at the back of his head and then proceeded to talk my mom into letting me go again.

It took me about almost an hour, but she finally gave in after an hour of asking. I don't blame her, I would also.

After packing some different clothes and some snacks, I walked out and waved bye to my sisters before heading with Hiei back to the Anime World, which is what I call it.

When we arrived, there was a strange looking guy at the cabin I slept the night before. He wore a tall wizard like hat, cowboy style vest and British style horse riding boots. He did have a shirt and pants on, its just those were the things that were not normal. His hair was a neon green and his eyes were the darkest blue you could ever imagine. To tell the truth, I was a little worried until Hiei stood beside me.

I looked up at him, he was watching the stranger like a hawk. Then Kurama came outside, smiling as usual. He waved us over and we slowly walked over, as if the stranger would attack at any moment. If I were watching, and not partaking in that scene, I probably would've laughed my butt off.

And that's exactly what Yusuke and Botan did, that is, until Hiei had his sword unsheathed and to their necks within an instant. If I would've blinked at that moment, I would of not seen him move at all, and thought he knew Instant Transmission like Goku from DBZ.

I hurried over to Kurama and stood between Kurama and Kuwabara, while Yusuke and Hiei yelled relentlessly at each other. Yusuke because Hiei could've easily taken his head off, and Hiei because he didn't think it was an appropriate time to laugh. Which only caused Botan and Keiko to crack up laughing and Yusuke and Hiei turned their yells to the two innocent, or so they say, girls.

I just stood and watched, smiling at the fact that things seemed to be normal for the moment. Until Yusuke would remember I was there and end up turning cold again.

"Kurama, uh who is that er man who keeps looking at me?"

Kurama looked down at me with a serious expression on his face, before it turned back to his happy-go-lucky self.

"Oh, he is the detective that Hiei wanted. Well, the only one I could get to come out here on such short notice."

I nodded in understanding, then turned to Kuwabara who was on my left.

"Uh Kuwabara?" He looked down and then smiled for the first time since I had been there.

"Yea Kia?"  
"Uh do you by chance feel any er weird spirits or anything, like that may have come from that guy?"

He looked over at the man and then back to me.

"Uh uh I don't feel anything, sorry."

"Its ok, I just have this feeling like he's bad news."

"Oh, really? I haven't felt anything abnormal for a while."

I looked back at the man and then saw a bench and went over to sit on it. I sat down once there and pulled my back pack off my back onto the ground. I leaned back against the bench and closed my eyes, still holding onto my pack. I was now behind Kurama and Kuwabara, the strange man was also in front of me.

:What are you doing lazying around at this time of day:

'Hiei? What the heck do you mean this time of day?'

:I mean you either do that late at night or late afternoon.:

I opened my eyes and almost squeaked. Hiei was right there and scared the crap outta me.

"Don't do that, sheesh."

"Oh sorry, do what? This?"

Hiei got closer and I nodded. Getting up, I almost knocked him backwards. Then I sat down again and rummaged through my bag before taking out a little bag of Doritos. I offered one to Hiei who backed up like they would explode on him or something.

"What's wrong? Never had a Dorito before? Oh that's right you probably don't have them here."

"No we don't, what the hell is it?"

"Haha its food, a chip, erm, I don't know how else to explain it. Just try one, there're really good."

Hiei warily took it, then eyed it for a minute.

"It's ok I didn't poison it or anything."

"That makes me feel soo much better." He said sarcastically, which is like everything that comes out of his mouth.

"You should, so nya." I stuck my tongue out at him.

He shoved it in his mouth quickly and started to chew it. I could hear it crunching.

"Its not so bad now is it?"

"Npho nomph badth ath allth"

I laughed and began to eat again, then Hiei swallowed and sat beside me. I turned and smiled at him, offering him more, which he eagerly took.

"Hey Kia, Hiei! Come here a minute will ya!"

Kurama was waving us over, to meet the weird guy. I shuddered a moment before I got up and walked over with Hiei.

"This is Kreai, he is the only detective who could make it on such short notice. He is supposedly trained in ninja tracking ways."

I walked over by Kurama and then circled Kreai, such a weird name. He watched me circle him, and then I felt the same menacing presence as before. I jumped back away from him and hid behind Hiei.

:What's wrong:

'I er, felt a strange menacing presence, it scared me, and it came from Kreai.'

:Really? I felt something strange earlier when we first got here, that's why I was being wary.:

I looked out from behind him and Kreai was watching me, I made a face at him then walked over to Kurama.

"Hey Kurama, can I talk to you for a sec?"

"Sure Kia, what's on your mind?"

We walked to where the bench was and sat down.

"I know I may just be paranoid or something, but I feel a menacing presence when I go near that guy. Hiei said he felt it to when we first got here. He may be someone who is trying to get Manae's soul or something."

Kurama smiled and looked thoughtful a moment.

"Yes I did feel some sort of presence earlier, now that I think of it. Well we will have to be wary and quiz him, if he fails then we will find someone else, ok?"

"Ok, fair enough I guess." I stood up and we walked back over to Hiei and Kreai.

'Has he done anything strange?' I asked Hiei through telepathy.

:Not as of yet, but he just looks strange.:

I giggled out loud and everyone looked at me.

"What?"

They all shook their heads and went back to questioning Kreai.

I sighed and accidentally leaned against Hiei, who took in a sharp breath and tensed.

"What's wrong Hiei-sama?"

He un-tensed and looked behind him at me.

"Nothing ningen, you just worried me when you about fell over on me.

"Oh sorry, I didn't even realize I was leaning on you."

I stood up all the way now, and hung my head, my eyes closed. 'Stop it Kia, you do that waaay to much. Jeez, get a hold of yourself, he's in an alternate dimension and an actor, there's no way he would.shutup, omygosh I think I'm going insane, yelling at myself. Haha..'

Hiei smiled to himself as he had been in my thoughts like always. Everyone finished questioning Kreai and then he left.

"So uhm, did he pass it?"

"Yes, but a little to much, he knew more than what we asked him, it's a little worrisome." Kurama explained later that afternoon.

I nodded and then went outside and found a tree. Looking up, I swore as the tree I wanted was taken by none other than Hiei.

I shrugged and moved on to a tree a little ways down, but Hiei was in that tree as well.

"Damnit Hiei, what the hell do you want?" I yelled up at him, he shrugged and then grinned.

I noticed then that he was just bothering me because he's a guy. So then I started to hum the Yu Yu Hakusho ending theme. Haha, he go this annoyed face and then jumped down behind me. I spun around and jumped flipping over him landing on my feet behind him.

He stared at me in awe for a second then his grin returned.

'Hey wanna spar?"

I looked at him, like 'Are you for sure? You're a lunatic!' but he just pulled out his sword and then my sword appeared. I have one like Kuwabara's only it's a purple color and a little stronger. Then without warning Hiei ran at me, I blocked and then jumped back a second before charging myself and he blocked it easily before I flipped over him again and he barely had time to block.

We then became a blur of color as the spar got intensified. After about ten minutes of charging and blocking I started to take a more active roll and really tried to hit him. He noticed and then was grinning more broadly than I have ever seen. After about twenty minutes of active sparring, I got tired and stopped.

"What's wrong ningen? Tired already?"

I looked up at him and then out of nowhere charged him, Hiei almost didn't see me. But he blocked just in time, or else I don't think he would have a right arm. I back off and then laughed.

"Wow, I didn't think I had the energy to do that, hm, this spirit sword of mine is really cool, I didn't even know I had one."

Hiei chuckled at my amusement then proceeded to put away his sword. I leaned against a tree to catch my breath, but Hiei wasn't even slightly out of breath. I guessed he did this often.

"Hiei, come here we need to discus something!" Kurama yelled from the second cabin. He looked at me, I nodded and then he was gone in a leap.

'Wow he's so fast. Well better go er, hmm what should I do? Aha! I think it's time to do some detective work!'

So standing up all the way, I stretched then walked to the first cabin where I found Botan.

"Hey Botan?"

"Yea."

"Do you know anything about Manae?"

Botan's eyes got slightly larger. Then she turned the opposite way of me with her head down.

"H-how do you know ab-about her?"

I cocked my head to the right then looked at the left cabin wall before answering.

"Well, Hiei told me of course. He said, he said he believes that I am, am her reincarnation."

I hesitated a couple of times, not sure of what Botan's reaction would be, then approached her and stood looking at the floor.

"Why do you want to know about her?" Botan was now facing me, her expression unreadable, which I thought strange, as I had never seen her like that before.

"Because Hiei told me someone is trying to destroy her soul, and well I want to help. So I figure if I do a little detective work, maybe I can figure out who or what it is, and why they want to kill her."

Botan now sat down on one of the four chairs in the room. Her head was down still, making it hard for me to figure out what was wrong. She looked up at me, a determined look in her eyes.

"Well then, I guess you should know the story right?" I shrugged. "Only if, if it wont make you more upset than you are currently."

Then Botan laughed, she laughed and laughed and laughed, then laughed some more. I was completely clueless as to why she had the sudden urge to laugh so much. I really found nothing funny. She laughed so hard she was crying, I hadn't laughed that hard in about two months.

"B-Botan?" I asked as she tried to control herself. She was pretty much under control at the moment, and was having a hard time speaking.

"C-come gasp her-here Ki-Kia." She pointed to the chair beside her. So I sat down, and waited for her to speak again.

"Heh, I guess I-I'm not to good at hiding my feel-feelings. Well, uh you should know, that Manae was my best friend."

She was now under complete control and had a sad expression on her face, which I was sure she wasn't trying to hide. I looked down when she told me Manae was her best friend.

"You don't have to tell me, not if it will hurt you."

She smiled at me, then shook her head, her skyish blue hair floating behind her rather roughly.

"No, I have to get this off my chest, or else it will bother me forever."

I nodded. "Ok, if your sure?"

She nodded and then leaned closer to me, I was guessing so people walking by couldn't here.

Inside Cabin 2 with Kurama, Hiei and Yusuke.

"Ok Hiei, we found out that that detective that Kurama called, was a total fake, and well he knew a little to much information for us not telling him diddly squat."

Yusuke sat back down in his chair and looked back at Kurama, waiting for him to explain further to Hiei.

"Yes Hiei, it was quite unsettling to hear him repeat some things that only us three would know. Us as in You, Botan, and I." Hiei leaned back against the door frame, his chin to his chest and eyes closed, typical Hiei scene.

"Hn, well it seems we either have a spy here." At that he looked around. "Or that he was spying on us and has such a strong power, I couldn't sense him."

"Either way he needs to be taken care of, as in interrogated and then done away with."

Yusuke stood up again and paced around the room, hand on his chin, thinking.

"No, that would not do, he could of easily found someone working for the 'person' and be completely innocent."

"Heh, just like you Kurama, your growing weak in your older age."

Hiei smirked and then sighed.

"So what do we do? Should we tell Kia if we make a plan?"

"Huh? Why would we tell her? She has no part in this whatsoever!"

"Yusuke, she IS Manae's reincarnation, it would be only fair to let her in on this. Plus I think she really wants to help."

Kurama looked sternly at Yusuke before walking over to the window and peering out at Shiziru, Keiko, Koenma, and Kuwabara. He smiled to himself, as they seemed so carefree at the moment.

"Then it's settled, Kia will know, and Yusuke, you have the worst attitude towards her at the moment, why IS that?"

Hiei asked with sarcasm as Yusuke looked down and then shuffled back to his chair.

"I-I just don't think she needs all this darn attention, it's going to her head."

Kurama laughed and then walked outside, Hiei looked out the door at Kurama who was helping Keiko get up after Koenma shot a blast thing at Kuwabara and missed. Keiko didn't look to happy.

"Ok so you knew basically everything about her? That's amazing, I think we may need to take you with us Botan."

I looked down at the ground contemplating a plan. I needed to find out some more about the person/thing that is trying to destroy her soul, and why they would want to.

"Botan?"

"Yea?"

"Uhm, do you know if Manae had any powers that were strange or really powerful?"

Botan thought a minute.

"Well she did say that she would often have weird dreams about a new power, but she didn't know what it meant."

I thought again.

'Perhaps we may need to go to the present to figure this out.'

"Well, let's go tell the boys, about this new information, maybe they'll have a plan?"

"Perhaps, but it wouldn't hurt to ask I suppose."

I nodded and we headed out to cabin two. But we didn't get out of cabin one, Kurama was right outside the door when we opened it.

"Oh Kurama, we were just going to go talk to you guys. Come in please."

Botan said as she lead them inside.

"Uh Hiei? Do you guys have a plan yet?"

Hiei looked at me a moment, contemplating something, I could feel it.

"No, not as of yet. You?"

I shook my head. "But we do have some new information on Manae."

At that Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke's attention all snapped to me. I had the floor I was guessing.

"Well Botan told me that Manae often had a dream about a new power, but she never figured it out. Maybe that's a power 'they' want?"

Hiei looked down and then spoke in whisper.

"I-I remember that, she used to talk about that dream, but I-I never thought about it." "Well, I think that maybe we need to go to the present to figure out this mystery."

Botan agreed, and for once since I had been there, Yusuke agreed also.

'Well, I think the world may be ending, hmm'

"So do you guys have a plan now?" I asked the boys.

"Yes, we may just have one, that was just the information we needed." Kurama said with his normal smile.

'Yes score one for Kia! Haha.'

**AN:** _SOOOOOOOO SORRY AGAIN, hehe. Uhm, hope this er clears some things, and I think this may be the most boring chap yet, but there is some fighting, so hopefully that's a plus for y'all. Well we leave Sunday for the Cruise, so I wont be able to get the next chapter up. SORRY, if I had a laptop, I would, but unfortunately I don't, so yea._

_Uhm. But when I get back that's what ill work on, please R/R!_

Seigi Tsuki


	4. A new detective a new enemy

**AN:** _Sorry again folks I never have time to get updates out sooner, I started school now so I wont have as much time, but I will work on it at school as often as possible. So here is Chapter 4, it has a guest character, Mai-Ly Doan, she is one of Kia's online buddies from Cali., but wont make an appearance for a while. In this chap she only has a small part, sorry Mai- Ly, you'll get bigger parts, no worries! ;_

_So without further ado:_

**MidNite Wander**

**Chapter 4:**

A new Detective, A new Enemy

Later that day, while I was at home, which Kurama, Kuwabara, and Botan all had to chime in to get Hiei to let me go, I was online. I remembered that I had an online friend who was YYH fanatic, so I decided to email her and hoped she could help.

To: Mai-Ly

Cc:

Bcc:

Subject: YYH Dilemma

_Mai-Ly Hey waz up? Been a long time hasn't it? Well sry to write you outta the blue, also considering the fact that I have a dilemma, but it's a YYH dilemma, so I thought you might be of some help. Email me back if you're interested.  
Signed  
-Kia-_

After that I went upstairs to eat dinner. Which believe me, was not normal at all. We had Corn-on-the-Cob, Steak, and Fruit Cocktail. Seems normal right? Well it wasn't the food that was weird. The conversation was er.how would you say..messed up?

"Hey mom, uh I'm not going to be here tomorrow, so I wont be able to go to school."

My mom contemplated a moment.

"Well it's a good thing the last day of school is two days away right? You won't miss the exams." She gave me a stern look when talking of exams.

"Ah ha ha ha, yea the best thing in the world, er." Leigh sat and stared at me like I was a maniac.

"Where -do- you go?" Leigh asked as she stabbed at her steak.

"Excuse me?"

"Where do you go?"

"When?"

"Ugh, when you leave duh!"

"Well sometimes I go to the bathroom, other times I go bed and still oth-"

"No you ignoramus, I mean in the other world!"

I laughed, low at first then it rose into an all-out laughter, the kind you have when you are genuinely happy. My mom got this really worried look on her face, so I stopped. After I abruptly stopped laughing, Ray and Leigh started, there was nothing funny, maybe it was because I stopped so fast? I then joined them and thus there was a table full of laughing girls, except mom, who thought we were all nuts.

I excused myself from the table, cleaned off my plate and then put my plate and fork in the dish washer. About ten minutes later, back in the basement, on the computer, I had gotten a reply from Mai-Ly, it read:

To: Kia

Cc:

Bcc:

Subject: YYH Dilemma

_Kia Hi, yes it has been a long time. Nothin really here, just obsessing as always. Its no prob that you write me outta no where. Just tell me your dilemma already! Lol_

_-Mai-Ly-_

I laughed out loud. 'Just like her.' Still grinning I typed a response to her right away.

To: Mai-Ly

Cc:

Bcc:

Subject: YYH Dilemma

_Mai-Ly, You, obsessing? You have to be kidding me, what I do is obsessing, YYH is your LIFE haha. Ok I'll get on with me dilemma already. Uh ok I know you wont believe me, but this is what happened. I met Hiei on Friday at school, and learned that I am the reincarnation of his late partner, Manae. She was a professional Demon Assassin, the dilemma is someone wants to destroy her soul for no apparent reason. But her soul is mine now, so that would destroy me as well. I am going back tonight and wont be able to respond to you until after school ends which is in 2 days. I know you wont believe me but it's true and I can prove it sometime._

_Signed  
-Kia-_

I sent the email, then shut down the computer. Going upstairs, I packed a couple days clothes, my hair brush, some snacks and a journal.

'Wow, I suddenly feel like Kagome, going into the feudal era.'

I hugged my mom and then told everyone bye.

"I'll be home tomorrow, don't worry!"

"Ok, be careful anime girl." My mom yelled as I went outside.

"Tarzan, you cant come, sorry." I looked down at my cat as I pulled out the portal opener. I went to the back porch and pressed the button, the portal opened. Then I jumped in. The same thing happened as always, wind, floating around, all that stuff.

When I got there it was morning, I walked to the second cabin, which is the one I stayed in. Looking through one of the windows, I saw Hiei sitting by the window again. I smiled to myself, not sure why. Walking to the door I slung my back pack over my shoulder and walked in, being quiet so that the ones still sleeping could sleep. It was 6am by the way.

Once inside I walked over to my sleeping area and put down my stuff. I looked back to where Hiei sat, then decided to just go sit by him. I walked over Yusuke, who almost grabbed my foot in his sleep, trying not to laugh I finally made my way to the table that Hiei was at.

I stood behind him a minute, then he spoke and scared the bejeezus out of me.

"You can sit down you know, that's what your butt is for."

I stared at him a little surprised, then sat down.

"Yea I was pretty sure your ass had more of a purpose than that of shitting."

Hiei looked at me, his turn to be surprised this time.

"What? I'm not a goody goody ya know."

He just shook his head, eyes closed and 'hned'. I smiled, 'So you find that amusing do you?'

He smirked, 'Yes I do, but at 6am everything is.' I silently agreed with that.

"So, uh Hiei, is there something, no wait, that would be a stupid question, never mind."

I looked away, down at that floor, then swept my gaze upward, my eyes landing on the sleeping form of Yusuke. He moved slightly, I smiled, then my gaze landed on Kuwabara. He looked like a little boy, it was amazing how sleeping could change your form.

I chuckled quietly at my own easily amused thoughts.

"Kia, what were you going to ask?"

I turned and looked at Hiei.

"Nothing, it was stupid."

"No, ask me its not stupid."

"If you already know what it is, why waste my breath telling you?"

Hiei looked at me like I was a mini him.

"Heh, I don't know what it is, I just know, I know that if, it came from, from you it cant be stupid."

My mouth hung down, did he just, stammer while speaking to me? Ok, weirdness, that's just not right, at least coming from him.

"Do you now? Hm, you should know Hiei, stammering makes you sound weak."

He looked at me weird. "Yea I know. Just what were you going to ask?"

"Eh, I was going to ask, what was wrong, why do you always sit by the window and look sad?"

Hiei looked down, then back out the window.

'Aw man, I made him do it again, stupid baka' I hit my head a couple of times on the back of the chair. He turned and looked at me, usual smirk on his face.

"See now, that wasn't a stupid question, it shows you.um.care?"

"Hiei, seriously, is something wrong? You're acting weird."

He just nodded, then got up and walked to the bathroom.

"Hmm, must have been something I said." I talked to no one in particular.

"No, Hiei is just worried, this whole Manae thing is messin with his brain."

I turned around and about jumped outta my skin, as I saw Yusuke sitting up, where he once was laying, sleeping peacefully.

"Before you open your mouth, I've been awake for the past ten minutes."

I laughed quietly. "Oh really? Hmm, well just so you know, I wasn't wondering about that. I was just going to ask if you really thought so."

Yusuke turned a slight shade of pink, you could only tell he was blushing if you really looked.

"Yes I really think so."

Just then Botan walked in. "Think so what?"

"Uh nothing Botan-sama, just making idle chatter is all."

Botan eyed me for a minute.

"You sure?"

"Hai, as sure as the rising sun each and every morning. Haha."

Botan sat down as Keiko walked in from her and Botan's room

"Morning Keiko!"

I said cheerfully as she walked over to where Botan was sitting. "Morning! Whats got you so cheerful today?

I looked down quickly at the floor, then felt my cheeks turn warmer.

"Ah, nothing, I just didn't get any sleep." 'Hey at least that's not a lie, I really didn't get any sleep.'

'Not that you need any right? You real humans get so little sleep, I haven't a clue how you do it.'

I jumped and turned around, but didn't see Hiei.

"Hey Kia, what's wrong?"

Botan asked, I must've looked jumpy.

"Ahaha, nothing. Nothing's wrong, why don't we have some breakfast?

There was assorted murmurings here and there as people expressed their desire for food. I rubbed the back of my right hand, which sported a black fingerless glove, across my forehead once everyone was outside. They were going to cabin one, which had the kitchen.

But lucky cabin two had the rest room, so everyone had to come in our cabin to use it. Looking around at the now barren main room, I sat at the table by the window.

Sighing, I looked out the window then laid my head down on my arms. Hiei came out of the bathroom and stood in the doorway, watching me a moment.

"What do you want?"

I asked out loud without even looking. Hiei grinned, but of course I couldn't see him, I could just feel it.

"I don't want anything."

"Well then, quit staring, it makes me feel even more uneasy, since you already can read my every thought."

He chuckled this time, then proceeded to the bench and sat beside me. I turned so I could look at him, but my head was still down.

"Uh, Hiei?"

He looked down at me.

"Yea?"

I thought a moment.

"Uh, sorry, I-I didn't mean to upset you earlier."

He gave me the look again, the one that said, 'I would want to know that, because?' Man he does that often, anyway. Sighing I looked away and out the window.

"If you don't want my apologizes or explanations, you should tell me before I say it."

He stared at me, then leaned his chin to his chest, eyes clsed.

"I never said I didn't want them. And also I don't read your thoughts all the time, only when I feel it would benefit me."

I sat and stared at him.

"Uh, did I hear you right? Hmm only when it benefits you? Well that must mean that I have been benefiting quite a lot lately?"

I sat my head up and rested my chin on the top of my right hand. Hiei now looked a little worried, as if I was about to find out a big secret or something. I grinned at him, which made him get up.

"Aw come on Hiei, sit back down please?"

Just then Yusuke walked in.

"Ah s-sorry need to use the restroom, eheh."

And with that he was off, I stood up after exchanging confused looks with Hiei.

"Well might as well go get something to eat, while its still there anyway."

Hiei moved to the door and to my surprise, held it open. I smiled at him, then led the way to Cabin 1, where we found Botan, Shiziru, Keiko, Yukina, Genkai, Kuwabara, and another guy I never saw before.

They all, except the mystery guy, were stuffing their faces.

"Wow this looks familiar! Hmm, now where have I seen this scene before? OH that's right, from DBZ! Man you guys eat just like Goku!"

The mystery guy made a noise that suspiciously sounded like a cross between a chuckle and cough. Botan looked up at us, Hiei and I, then pointed to the mystery guy. I raised my eyebrow at her.

"Hn, and who might you be?"

Hiei asked the mystery guy, who was pretending not to watch. He jumped at being talked to.

"M-me? I'm just Whisk. Uh, Kurama was talking to me about being your detective."

My face lit up.

'Yes, finally we found a decent looking and feeling (energy wise) detective sheesh.' I thought.

Hiei looked at me like I was a wacko or something.

"Was it to your advantage to read my mind then?"

He looked down, hmphed and walked out of the room. After watching him leave I asked the detective to come outside with me so we could talk.

"Uh, Mr. Whisk?"

He looked up and for the first time I saw his face.

"Yea?"

For a moment I was speechless.

"Uh, I, did you know look an awful lot like, er Son Gohan? I'm Kia by the way."

He blushed slightly then sat on a log.

"Well Kia, that's because I am. Whisk is my detective name."

"Uh riiiiite, why are you a detective anyway?"

Sitting down beside him I waited patiently while he explained.

"Oh so, you turned to mysteries after earth had no more enemies. Well will you be able to help us at all?"

Gohan looked out through the trees.

"Yea I think, I just need a little more info before I begin my work."

"What's that?"

"Well I need to know what Manae?" "Yes Manae." "What she was like and also,"

Here he turned away and looked down.

"I need you to fill this out, all of it."

He handed me a paper out of no where.

"Uh, Gohan? Where'd you get that from?"

"Oh, I always have one in my pocket."

"Uh-huh, if you say so."

I took the paper and told him to turn around, for I was going to use his back as something to write on. He turned around and sat on the log we had been on, then I sat down and filled out the for. It asked for my name, address, age, phone number, school, email (if I had one) pets, family, hobbies and anything else I wanted himto know.

"Alright, done here you go Mr. Whisk."

I said as I handed him the form. He smiled then folded it up all neat, and put it back in his pocket.

"Well should we go talk to Botan and Hiei? They were the closest to Manae."

"Yea ok that would be the best place to start."

So we walked back into Cabin 1, everyone was still in the kitchen, just not eating. We walked over to Botan.

"Hey Botan, can we talk to about Manae for a moment?"

When she looked confused I pointed to Gohan, who no one noticed was Gohan, she smiled.

"Sure lets go in the other room."

So we walked into the Living room/lounge room area.

"So what's on your mind detective?"

Botan asked once we were all seated semi comfortably.

"Well I need to know what she was like on a day to day basis."

I thought a moment, then watched as Botan explained.

"Well she was a kind person really, always had a smile on her face. She was mentally and physically sound and balanced, had very good manners. Manae was a pro at her job, she claimed that to save the ordinary folk, she must slay the unordinary. Meaning the demons, although she knew Hiei was a demon himself.

I think that once she started having weird dreams, was when she started to loose grip. Then she was always preoccupied."

As Botan continued, Gohan jotted little side notes in his notebook. Once in a while he would inquire about something, then continue to write. I sat and stared in awe as I thought about how it would be to meet Manae.

After our hour with Botan, I sought out Hiei. I found him in our sparing place in a tree, his head back, eyes closed. I stood at the bottom of the tree. Then out of no where, shouted really.

"HEY HIEI COME DOWN HERE A SEC!"

He about fell out of the tree. I heard him muted curses before he looked down at me.

"Hn, what do you want ningen?"

Gohan was behind me, watching curiously.

"Uh, for you to come down here. The detective has some questions about Manae."

If he wasn't interested a minute ago, he sure was now. He glared at us before jumping down and landing gracefully as ever.

"Hn, silly human, male demons are not graceful."

My eyes widened a bit.

"Uh, riiiiiiiiite, if you say so, just get over here so we can get this over with, sheesh."

We walked to a nearby rock formation. I leaned back against the wall, the cool rock chilling me at first touch. Gohan proceeded to ask Hiei the same questions as Botan, though he got more detailed answers from Hiei. After we were finished we said bye to Gohan, since he needed to go back to his office and get some studying done.

It still amazed me that no one noticed he was Gohan. Hiei and I went back to cabin 2, since I needed to use the bathroom, and Hiei felt the need to follow me. Not to the bathroom, just to the cabin.(AN: You Hentai's! lol, just kidding.) By now it was around dinner time, we headed over to cabin 1.

"Man am I hungry!" I complained as we walked in. "I never got a chance to eat this morning."

Hiei looked at me then at everyone else.

"Never fails, whenever some one starts to cook, everyone ends up at the table!"

Keiko said exasperatedly. I grinned, figuring she was probably only making food for herself, when everyone showed up.

"Well that's you get when everyone has super senses." Shiziru said boredly. She had a cigarette in hand ready to light it.

Botan quickly intervened and grabbed it.

"Ah, ah, ah Shiziru, we don't know if Kia can stand the smoke."

Everyone looked at me expectantly except Shiziru, she was glaring at the back of Botan's head.

"I can stand it, but I will just go outside, it's alright with me, it's nice out."

I added as everyone started to talk at once. With that I walked back outside, everyone quiet now, glaring at Shiziru for smoking in the first place. But she didn't care, as long as she had a cigarette she was fine. I went to cabin 2 to get my bag and stove like thing from the Cowboy Bebop Movie. After that I went back to me and Hiei's sparing place. Looking around I found a suitable tree and jumped up on the nearest branch, which was twice my height. Settling down I opened my bag and pulled out a container of Ramen Noodles and a fork, I cant use chopsticks.

After putting the Ramen Noodle container on the stove thing, I sat it on the branch I was on, leaned against the tree, closed my eyes. After 3 minutes the stove beeped, I looked down at the container and pulled the cord that opened the container. Steam rose from the noodles as the heat of them met the cool night air. I started eating the noodles and looked around. The sunset was very pretty with hues of red, orange and pink.

Shadows of the trees covered the forest floor as the sun sank lower and lower. I heard movement below me and looked down, Hiei was standing by my tree.

"Hey, you hungry?"

I asked as I rummaged through my bag to find another container of Ramen.

"Not really."

I frowned because I had just found the noodles when he said no.

"Ah well, suit yourself, just means more for a different day."

"Hn."  
"..."

There was a silence as I began to eat again. After I finished I put the trash in my bag along with the stove, which had cooled off by now.

"So Hiei, you uh stay here a lot?"

I asked while looking through the woods.

"Yes, this was my sanctuary, no one knew about it."

I looked down at him, he was leaning against the tree I was in.

"Sorry, I won't come here anymore then."

It was getting darker every five minutes as the sun continued to sink lower. Deciding I wanted to mind train, I jumped out of the tree, leaving my bag on the ground by the trees roots. Hiei watched with mild interest as I stood straight and closed my eyes. Almost immediately a hooded figure appeared to me in my mind's eye.

From what I could see, it appeared to be a man. He was several inches taller than me, the cloak he wore was a deep violet with black and gold lining. His eyes were emerald green, and shone with some kind of lust. At first he just stood looking at me, I guess he was sizing me up. Then he spoke, his voice deep and manly.

"Manae, you have muddled the name of our clan for the last time. Very soon, you will pay."

Then just as quick as he appeared, he disappeared. I opened my eyes to find Hiei looking at me.

"Oh Hiei, don't do that you scared me!"

He looked down a little worried before speaking.

"I scared you? You scared me, what were you doing?"

Confused I looked around and noticed I was in a different place.

"Uh, how did I get here?"

"You just started walking, I called to you a couple of times but you didn't answer, just kept walking."

I thought a moment. 'Maybe that man had a power to pull me towards him?'

"What man?"

I looked at Hiei.

"The one I saw in my mind. He called me Manae and said I had muddled the name of his clan for the last time, and that I would pay very soon."

Hiei paled slightly.

"Oh no, no not that." He whispered just loud enough for me to hear.

"Do you know who he was?"

I asked a little worried now.

"Yes, he was the leader of her clan. But she left clan more than 10 years ago. Some one must be using her name to get them mad at her."

I looked at the ground, processing what I just learned.

"But Hiei, why would anyone.."

Just then he shushed me, I looked around concentrating on what ever was out there. Then Hiei knocked me down as a rogue arrow flew by, missing us by an inch. Once I realized what had happened I quickly looked around for the assailant. Hiei was already back up, hand on the hilt of his sword, eyes darting around.

Listening I heard a rustle behind me. I quickly made my ki sword in my hand and turned just in time to block as a metal sword came slashing at me. I let out surprised cry and Hiei quickly came to my aid. The assailant jumped back and then started to run, Hiei took the lead over me and followed the guy.

He was much faster soon was in front of the assailant, sword at the ready.

"Who are you? What the hell do you want!"

The guy began to attack again and I finally caught up to them, I watched in awe as Hiei blocked every attack and countered. He injured the man a couple times, then the man disappeared with a final "Mwuahahaha!" Out of breath from trying to keep up, I waited for Hiei to come back to the clearing. When he did he had a grim look on his face.

"Did he say anything besides 'Mwuahahaha!'?"

I asked when he was near enough to hear.

"No, he just made very ugly faces at me."

I sat down on the ground, exhausted physically and mentally.

"Well what are we going to do?"

Hiei sat beside me, he looked deep in thought.

"We are not going to say anything if or until he comes back. When he does, we need to find out who the hell he is. Did he look like the guy in your mind?"

I shook my head.

"If he was taller, had a purple cloak and his voice was deeper, then Maybe he could be him."

After a few more minutes of sitting I got up. It was now completely dark out.

"Wonder if the others are worried." I said more to myself.

Hiei made a doubtful noise before getting up himself.

"I doubt it, they figured you'd be alright if I went after you.."

I turned and looked at him.

"So-so that means, you only came.. because they wanted you to?"

Hiei nodded, I turned back around.

'Stupid me, of course, this is just like Inuyasha. I've gotta be like Kagome in these situations.' I thought as I walked over to my bag and picked it up.

'Now that I think about it, this is to much like Inuyasha to be a coincidence. Let's see, there is Kikyo, who in this case would be Manae. Then there is Inuyasha who would be Hiei. Ok so then I would be Kagome, the innocent reincarnation who has no idea of what's going on. Then there is Naraku who would be the person trying to destroy Manae's soul.'

While I thought I started to head back to the cabins, although it was dark.

'My family would be like Kagome's, everyone here would be like Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kaede. Whoa, that must mean I'm here for a reason. Is it to help save Manae's soul? Or..or to fall in love, like Kagome did. I'm so confused, all I know is..'

"Ooof"

I ran into something in front of me which brought me back to reality. Hiei was standing in the way.

"What are doing?"

I whispered once I realized who it was. He shrugged then grabbed my wrist and pulled me.

"Wha-what are doing!" I asked as we went a little faster, a minute later we were on a trail.

"Oh.stupid me."

I said, embarrassed as I realized I was off course.

"Eheh.."

Then I continued towards the cabins Hiei following. Once I got to cabin 2, I went in and was surprised tofind Yusuke, Botan and Keiko all waiting for me.

"Hey, you guys alright?"

I asked once my bag was in my sleeping area. They all smiled and I knew something was up.

"Er, what's wrong?"

I asked though I was afraid of the answer.

"Well, how did it go?"

Botan asked as if I were on a date or something.

"How did what go?"

Keiko stepped on Botan's foot when she went to open her mouth once again.

"Botan has some crazy ideas. Nothing is wrong, I think she needs more sleep."

"Yea and less of whatever it is that makes her so bubbly."

I replied as I went to the bench seat by the window.

"Oh I need go home tomorrow, I have school. There are 2 more days left, then summer vaca!"

I smiled at them then turned to the window, watching Hiei train once again.

'Ah man, this has been one whacked out day for sure. First we find a new detective, which was good. But now we have new enemy.' I thought as the others left for their sleeping area.

The lights went out as an assortment of g'nites chorused though out the cabin. I sat, still watching Hiei, he fought with such precision and grace, it amazed me to no end.

'I just hope we can save Manae's soul..'

**AN:** _Jeez, sorry people. School is a spawn of Satan! I have absolutely no time to do this. Don't worry I plan to continue, just don't freak out if the chapters don't come out at regular intervals. So..how did you like this one? Actually some action, lol, amazing isn't it? Heh I thought so. any way please review._

Seigi Tsuki


	5. Manae, Taka and the Reincarnation

**AN:** _Hiya! Yep, another chappie up! And I'm also in the process of chapter 6, isn't that Kakkoi? (cool) I thought so, lol. Sorry the very beginning of this chapter is slow, also the first part is still in first person, but after that its in 3rd. Im experimenting, so be sure to tell me which way you prefer, k?  
So without further ado, I give you, ladies n gents,_

**MidNite Wander**

**Chapter 5:**

Manae, Taka and The Reincarnation

The next morning at 6 am, I got up quietly and packed my things. Of  
course Hiei was up, I had a feeling he rarely slept. After all my  
things were together I walked over Yusuke to Hiei, he was again,  
looking out the window.

"Uh Hiei, I'm going to go now, I wont be back for a couple of days."

"Hn..just..be careful Kia."

He didn't look at me, though I'm sure he could see me through the  
window's reflection. I smiled to myself, again not sure why.

"Well, bye for now."

After that I walked to the cabin door, looking one last time at Hiei,  
before slipping out into the early morning mist.

At home it was 5 am, I figured out that our days and Hiei's days are  
a day and an hour apart. My mom was just getting up when I unlocked  
the back door and tried to sneak in.

"Kia? Is that you?"

One thing I didn't like about my mom was her exceptional hearing. I  
must've gotten my good hearing from her.

"Yea mom, its me."

I mumbled while trying to find the switch to turn on the hallway  
light. After a couple of minutes a soft glow illuminated the hallway  
and my mom, who was standing at the bottom of the stairs, still in her  
robe.

"Wow your actually home this time."

I looked at my mom like she was on crack or something.  
"What's that supposed to mean?"

She chuckled before turning around and walking back to her room.

"Oh nothing, it means nothing."

I stared at where she was once standing, then getting my senses back,  
went upstairs to put my bag away and getting my school bag, went back  
down to the kitchen. My mom was now dressed and getting her stuff for  
work ready. See my mom is an Accountant and so she always has her  
briefcase with her.

At the moment she was putting papers in it.

"Hey mom, you get dressed fast, did you know that?"

She looked up at me, grinned then looked back down.

"Well obviously I need to get ready quick, if I have a daughter like  
you."

Again she said something that confused me.

"Mom, wh-."

She held up her hand before I could finish.

"It doesn't mean anything, never mind it k?"

I nodded numbly, after that she went upstairs to wake my sisters.

Ray and Leigh came down about 10 minutes later, apparently surprised  
to see me. My younger sister Ray, ran up to me.

"Kia! You're back!"

"Yea, I will be for 2 days, but then I have to go back to see Hiei  
again."

She frowned.

"Someday, I'll bring you guys with me, don't worry."

My mom was outside getting the car turned on so Ray and her could go  
to Ray's school.

Leigh and I had to stay home to wait for the bus. We went out at 7:10  
am, the air was warm and there was a slight breeze.

"It's supposed to get up to 80 later."  
Leigh told me as we walked to the end of the road.

"Oh yea? That's good."

We stood in silence for a moment, I could tell Leigh wanted to ask me  
something.

"What is it Leigh?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Oh, um.I was wondering what you, er.ah! Where did you get that  
cut!"

Leigh said the latter a little louder, shock and amazement on her  
face. I looked down at my arm. There was a large cut about 6 inches  
long going from shoulder to halfway down my upper arm. It wasn't  
bleeding or anything, so I forgot to cover it up again after I  
bandaged it the nite before.

Flash-Back.

Listening I heard a rustling behind me. I quickly made my Ki sword in  
my hand and turned around just in time to block as a metal sword came  
slashing at me. Again the sword slashed and I jumped back after  
blocking. I made a startled cry and Hiei came quickly to my aid. While  
Hiei went after the guy, a second person emerged from the trees behind  
me. This person was a girl, she had 4 kunai in hand, then smirking,  
threw all 4 at me. I dodged one, deflected a second with my sword,  
dodged the third one but then got grazed by the fourth. It only grazed  
my left upper arm, but it hit with enough force to disable that arm  
and make a pretty decent sized cut. Then she vanished and I ran to see  
how Hiei was fairing. When we got back to the cabin, after the others  
went to bed, I washed and bandaged my arm before going to bed myself.

End Flash-Back.

"Oh, this ole thing? I got it in a fight, I'm alright though, don't  
worry."

I saw a slight relief wash over her face. After that the bus finally  
came.

"Bout time, I really need a damn car." I mumbled while getting on,  
Leigh following behind.

Once at school I followed the messed up schedule we had. It was the  
last 2 days of this year, so we have a different schedule the last 2  
days. Normally we have 8 periods in a day, each period lasting around  
42 mins. Today the schedule was 1,2,4,5. Tomorrow it will be 3,6,7,8.  
Its screwed up, yeah I know.

The day went by fast for me, before I knew it, I was on the bus  
heading home. Zea, my best friend, sat across from me on the bus, once  
her boyfriend got off. I don't know his name.-.-;;.

"Hey Kia! We haven't talked much lately."

I looked at her, she had startled me because I was thinking about  
Hiei, looking out the window.

"Yea I know, man its tough in Hi-" I stopped because I remembered she  
didn't know about Hiei's world.

That day we all saw him, she kept telling herself it wasn't real, so I  
let her think that.

"Whats tough in what?" She asked me while I sat thinking.

The bus stopped at Leigh and mine stop.

"Its tough to get off the bus when everyone is in the way. Gotta go  
bye!"

I covered as I quickly got up and left with Leigh. Zea sat watching me  
leave, confused.

"Aw man, still one more day of school left." 'I wonder what Hiei and  
the others are doing.'

(AN: this is where it goes from 1st to 3rd k? k.don't forget to tell  
me which way you prefer, 1st or 3rd, which ever one gets the most  
votes is how the rest of the story will be written..) Hiei woke up the next morning, to find he was in a tree by cabin 2.

'Oh, today is Kia's last day of school..I wonder if she'll come later  
today or tomorrow.'

With that he jumped down, went to the bathroom, ate and then went to  
his training place. It was 5am as he began to mind train. He imagined  
the man Kia had described to him, then fought him in his mind. The man  
was tough.

'He must be tough, I have to imagine the worst possible scenario, that  
way I'm not surprised.'

Hiei trained well into the afternoon. Botan went with Keiko and Yukina  
to his training place. Obviously people did know about it.

"Is this the spot?" Botan asked nervously as Keiko and Yukina came up  
behind her.

"Yes Botan, I believe it is."

Yukina answered

"Good, now what did Yusuke want to know again?"  
Botan smiled and scratched her head nervously.

"Oh Botan, don't you ever listen? He wanted to know what Hiei was  
doing out here!"

"Heh and only you would know what Yusuke wanted Keiko!"

Botan walked a little ahead, turning to face Keiko only when there was  
a good distance between them.

'And what exactly is that supposed to mean Botan?"

Botan hid behind a tree, smirk on her face.

"Nothing, nothing at all Keiko-chan."

"If you two don't mind, could we please hurry? I want to go back to  
the cabin."

Yukina interrupted when Keiko started to threaten Botan's existence.  
They both looked at her, then bowed apologetically.

"So sorry Yukina dear. Ok girls, lets go!" Botan pointed forward and  
they began to get closer to Hiei.

Hiei opened an eye, as he had heard rustling nearby, but dismissed it  
as a furry animal.

'I think I will train for another hour, then go eat.'

When Botan, Keiko and Yukina reached him, he had begun to train again.

"Well it only looks like he is training." Botan whispered.

"Mind training! There's a difference you know." Keiko corrected as  
they headed back to the cabins.

On their way back, a blur of black and purple passed them.

"Huh? What the heck was that?" Botan and Keiko said at the same time.

Kia hid in the trees close to Hiei. When Hiei finished training it was  
around 7:30 pm. He stopped and then stretched before towards where Kia  
was hiding. Before he got to her trees, a hand shot out with Ramen  
already cooked in it. Hiei about jumped out of his skin.

"Hee, hungry Hiei-sama?"

Kia came out from behind the tree, holding the Ramen. He fell over  
anime style.

"Kia, when you did get here?"

"About an hour ago." She said as she put the container and chopsticks  
in his hands. She noticed he had some scars on his hand, then ran her  
finger over one on his arm gently.

"Wow, you have a lot of scars Hiei-sama. Wanna see mine?"

She asked, without waiting fir an answer she took off her over coat  
thing, to reveal the cut she got from the female ninja.

Hiei was surprised for the third time in about five minutes.

"Where did you get that from?"

Kia wrapped her over-coat around her waist before answering.

"Oh, well the day we got attacked out here, a female ninja threw kunai  
at me. I dodged the first 3, but the 4th grazed me a bit."

'Wow, she's got a high tolerance to pain.' Hiei thought as they sat  
down and he began to eat.

"So, how long have you been watching me?" He asked through mouthfuls  
of Ramen.

Kia thought a moment, looking at her watch.

"Well I've been out her for about 45 minutes I think"

"When did you make these?" Hiei asked pointing to the Ramen.

"3 minutes ago, why? Are they cold? Do they taste bad? Are they cooked  
all the way..?"

Kia had a look of terror on her face. Hiei grinned.

"No, they're fine, I was just wondering how you kept them warm and how  
I didn't smell them. But you only made them 3 minutes ago, so that  
explains it."

Kia smiled, visibly sighing in relief, then laid on the ground. She  
looked up at the barely visible stars. It was getting dark as it  
neared 8pm.

"Wow, you can see some stars already. Its not even dark yet!"

Kia pointed at some stars above her.

"Whoa, look there's the Big Dipper."

Hiei leaned towards her to see from her view, there was an opening in  
the trees above her.

"Yea, and I see the North Star.." Hiei pointed a little to the left so  
Kia could find it.

"Oh.I see it..cool." She had to lean a little towards Hiei to see the  
North Star.

Kia sat up leaned against the tree nearest her.

"Hiei-sama, where's your trash? I'll put it in my bag.."

He pointed to the other side of where she was sitting, she leaned over  
and grabbed it, stuffing the Ramen container and chopsticks in her  
bag.

It was now dark enough to see enough to see more stars. Botan and  
Keiko were watching from behind some trees. After Kia had sped past  
them earlier, Yukina went back to the cabins, while Botan and Keiko  
stayed behind to see what was going on.

"Oh darn! That was almost a romantic moment, don't you think Keiko?"

Keiko, who was looking around the forest, turned to Botan.

"Almost, but where did Hiei go? One moment he was there, and now."

Both Botan and Keiko turned slowly to look behind them.

"KYAH!"

They yelled at the same time. Kia turned to where the noise came from.

"Hiei, was that Botan and Keiko?"

He looked to Kia from where they were sitting before.

"Dunno, I didn't hear anything."

It was Kia's turn to give him a 'look'.

"Heh, you're really bad at lying, you know that right?"

He looked back to the stars.

"Hn."

Kia chuckled to herself.

"Wonder what they're doing out here.."

Shrugging to herself, she moved back to where Hiei was laying. The  
nite became alive soon after, because the nite creatures started to  
get active.

Botan and Keiko ran off to the cabins for fear of their lives.

"That was s-so s-scary!" Botan said, a little out of breath.

"And to think, she hangs out with him!" Keiko exasperatedly said while  
sitting down.

"Don't forget, we also sleep in the same cabin as him!" Botan reminded  
as they sat down on the deck of cabin 2.

"Maybe we should stay with Shiziru and Yukina tonite." Keiko  
suggested, Botan nodded.

"Good idea, I always knew you were the smart one!" They hurried to  
cabin1 to sleep.

Back in the forest, Kia was again laying beside Hiei, the sky was full  
of stars.

"I've never seen so many stars at once. Is it always like this?"

Hiei closed his eyes a moment.

'This is just like old times. And this is the exact spot Manae and I  
watched stars.' He thought before replying to Kia.

"No, not all the time, only when the sky is really clear, like  
tonite."

Kia nodded in reply, not that he saw her.

"How long have you been training today?" She looked at him, then  
turned on her side, facing him. They were laying in the grass, which  
was lush, or was until they sat on it.

"I was up and training at 5 this morning."

Kia's eyes got bigger for a second, before she took on a calculating  
look.

"Wow, you trained for 14 ½ hours! That's almost a whole day!"

Hiei chuckled at amusement.

"Normally I train for 16 hours."

Kia looked down at the ground, an ant was barely visible, carrying  
part of a leaf, up towards the tree behind them.

"I wonder how long I would last..training I mean." Kia said this more  
to herself.

Hiei looked her over a minute, then said. "I bet you would last longer  
than most human males."

"Really? You're not just saying that are you?"

Hiei shook his head.

"No, I mean it. You could last about 10 hours at the moment. If you  
trained with me then you would be able to last longer than 10 hours."

Kia's face turned a slight shade of pink, she also felt her face turn  
slightly warmer.

'What's wrong with me? Oh man.' She thought, looking at her watch. She  
noticed it was now 10pm.

"Wow, its already 10, we should probably go soon."

Hiei nodded.

"We'll go in a couple hours."

Kia looked a little worried.

"At midnite, why then?"

Hiei smirked. "There's something cool that happens at midnite during  
the summer. You'll see, don't worry."

Kia looked up at the sky, then sat up all the way, Hiei also.

"Well, what should we talk about until then?

Hiei looked around. "Dunno, did anything happen at your school today?"

Kia looked at him, surprised that he was even remotely interested in  
her day.

"Well, not really, nothing interesting ever happens."

She sighed while looking up at the sky, she could feel the body heat  
from Hiei on her right side. A breeze came in on her left and she  
shivered slightly.

"Wow it gets cold pretty quick at nite."

Hiei nodded while still looking up at the sky. Kia leaned her head on  
his shoulder, much to his surprise, the closed her eyes.

"Kia.?" Hiei looked down at her, blushing slightly himself. He noticed  
she seemed to be asleep.

'Well nothing I can do now, I'll wake her at midnite..' He thought as  
he leaned all the way against the tree behind him.

A cold breeze blew by once again and Kia, in her sleep, shivered. Hiei  
took off his black overcoat and put it around her. She stopped  
shivering and sighed.

Hiei stared up at the sky. 'Why, why does this have to be just like  
when I was with Manae? Why?' He thought while trying to get the déjà  
vu sensation to go away.

"Because...in a sense, I guess I am Manae."

Hiei heard Kia's voice in his head, looking down, he noticed she still  
seemed to be asleep.

'Kia? Are you awake?' He asked through telepathy.

'No Hiei, are my eyes open? Heh, this feels like a dream. Its so  
weird, how did we get in a flower field anyway?'

Hiei looked around, they weren't in a flower field, they were in the  
forest and it was dark and cold.

'Uh, Kia? Are you ok?'

As if to answer him, her arms wrapped around his left arm.

'Hiei, it's getting dark, there are things in the field. I'm so glad  
you are with me, I feel a little braver.'

After a second Hiei realized she must be dreaming, and in her dream,  
he was standing right beside her.

'Its ok Kia, don't worry about anything.'

After closing his own eyes, and tuning into her brainwaves, he could  
see what she was dreaming. They were in a flower field that was  
getting dark. After a few moments it was completely black.

Kia's grip on his arm surprised him. A face that was partly  
transparent on the bottom appeared before them.

He had green eyes, and from what they could see of him, appeared to be  
wearing a purple cloak. He was also several inches taller than both  
Hiei and Kia.

"Oh not you again!" Kia said angrily. "Why don't you leave me  
alone?"

The man chuckled and instantly Hiei knew, this was Manae's clan  
leader.

"Manae, why would you ask such a thing? I told you before, you will  
pay very dearly for your meddling."

His voice was calm, collected and deep, it annoyed Kia to no end.

"Shut up! I am Kia Tsuki, not Manae! I don't even know who she was!  
Stop calling me Manae!"

"Ah, denial, a serious mental condition in which the person lies to  
themselves until that's all they believe. Its so sad that you Manae,  
the beautiful, bright professional of our clan had to fall victim to  
such a horrible disease."

Kia had now let go of Hiei's arm, much to his delight as she was  
squeezing the life out if it. She stood directly in front of the  
floating head.  
"Ok, first of all, I am not in denial, second I am not Manae and  
third, what the hell is your name anyway?"

Hiei couldn't help chuckling a little. He had never seen her so  
flustered before.  
The floating head made a deep chuckling noise as his body started to  
materialize before them.

"Hmm, well my name is Taka; I am the leader of the Demon Assassin  
Clan. You are Manae and you have meddled with our name for long  
enough."

Hiei moved closer to Kia as she stood in a fighting stance.

"I think at the moment it is pointless to try to prove to you that I  
am not Manae. So, either you leave me and Hiei alone, or we fight.  
Which'll it be Taka"

She said Taka like it was poisonous. Hiei grabbed her arm and pulled  
her away from Taka, so he could talk to her.

"Kia, do you realize you wont win right now? Not with as little  
fighting experience as you have."

Kia turned to look at Taka, then back at Hiei.

"Well, just so you know, I am a master martial artist, though I may  
not look it. I do know how to defend myself. Isn't this a dream  
anyway?"

Hiei sighed. "Yes it is a dream, but don't forget, he made you go  
towards him last time without touching you. He may be able to hurt  
you, even if it is a dream."

Taka 'ahemed' as they both turned to look at him.

"Sorry to interrupt your pep rally over there, but are we going to.."  
Kia never heard his last words because a searing pain shot through her  
head. She fell to her knees as Hiei held her protectively.

"Kia? Are you ok?" there was a worried tone to his words.

Then Kia opened her eyes as the pain faded.

"Wh-where am I?" Looking around she saw she was in a dark forest.  
Stars were shinning brightly above her.

"Kia? Kia."

She turned to see she had her head on Hiei's shoulder and he looked  
worried.

"H-Hiei? Uh."

"You were just dreaming. I woke you because you sounded in pain. Are  
you alright?"

She nodded, then looked up.

"It was the weirdest dream I've had in a while, and you were in it,  
Hiei."

"Yea I know, I saw your dream. We met Taka, the clan leader."

Kia looked at Hiei, a wondrous look in her eyes.

"The Jagan lets me.."

She sighed in a defeated manner, before looking up at the stars from  
where her head was on Hiei's shoulder. Her head still pounded  
slightly.

"Is it midnite yet?" He asked as Kia looked at her watch.

"We've got 5 more minutes, hey tell me what it is we are waiting for."

She looked up at Hiei, who had a glazed look in his eyes. Sighing  
again, she  
turned to look into the forest.

"Huh?"  
"Nothing Hiei-sama..."

Hiei looked at little sad as she turned and looked back up at the  
stars once again. After five minutes of no one speaking, a loud  
rumbling noise echoed throughout the forest.

Kia sat up, while Hiei just looked interested.

"Ok Kia, this is what we've been waiting for. Look behind us at this  
tree."

He pointed to the one they were leaning against. Hiei stood up, Kia  
was already up, looking around. They both stood facing the tree, Hiei  
expectantly, Kia a little worriedly.

A screen-type thing appeared on the tree, just face level for Kia, a  
little above eye level for Hiei. The screen was glowing and making  
fuzzy noises like when you turn the TV to the wrong channel.

After a few seconds a woman of about her early 20's, appeared on the  
screen.

"Is that...Manae?"

Kia asked, half in a daze.

Hiei put his hand on her shoulder also watching as Manae sat at the  
edge of a bank, dipping her hands into cool silvery water.

"Yes it is. This tree has the ability to show where spirits are  
hiding, anywhere in this forest."

Kia looked thoughtfully at the sky for a moment.

"But uh.I thought she died. How can she be a spirit if I have her  
soul?"

Hiei walked up to the screen, seemingly studying the woman on it.

"Well, she isn't really a soul, that's her real body, some one  
resurrected her with black magick. I have a feeling it's whoever wants  
to rid this planet of her soul."

Kia walked up beside Hiei, also studying Manae, who was now drinking  
from her hands, in the shape of a cup.

"So.she is actually doing this, right at this moment?" Hiei nodded.

"I thought it time for you to meet her. But she isn't the exact same  
as when she was alive."

Kia turned to look at Hiei, worry etched into her features.

"But.what if.if she doesn't think I'm a.a worthy reincarnation? I  
don't want her to hate me, like Kikyo and Kagome."

"She wont think you are a bad reincarnation. As long as you are human,  
she wont have a problem with you."

Kia turned to face Hiei yet again.

"But what about-"

"Me? Yea, well she tried to kill me when we first met. But I saved her  
life, so she started to trust me. That was foolish of her."

Kia looked down, turning this info over in her mind.

"I remember when you fought Yusuke. You could've easily killed her  
when she was least expecting it, but.you didn't."  
Her eyes glazed over as her mind wandered. Hiei looked back up at  
Manae, who was now leaning against a tree by the bank, and picking  
berries from the bush beside her.

"So, you ready to go?"

Kia looked up with a start.

"Oh, well, uh.I guess, more ready than I'll ever be."

Hiei nodded, "Ok, follow me."

They both disappeared off into the forest. Kia had been working on her  
speed while at home. She was only a few feet behind Hiei while he ran.

'Wow, I guess I wont have to go back to get her after all. She's been  
training while away.' Hiei thought as he looked over his shoulder at  
her.

Kia smiled. 'Yea, I can go almost as fast as you Hiei-sama!'

She heard his thoughts again, and was finding it increasingly easier,  
the more time she spent with him.

Hiei looked surprised before turning to look in front of him again.

After ten more minutes of running, they finally reached the place  
Manae was laying. Kia, who was out of breath, stopped dead in her  
tracks when she saw Manae.

'Wow, we really do look similar, more so than Kagome and Kikyo, but  
Manae is like, 5 times prettier than I am.'

Hiei walked past her to Manae, who was now looking up at the trees.

"A sinister wind blows in this forest." Manae whispered to herself as  
Hiei approached her.

The forest was almost pitch black and Kia wondered how she could even  
see anything up there. Then Manae turned to look at Hiei, startled.  
She smiled when he knelt down beside her and whispered something, when  
he was done, she looked at Kia.

Kia stood rooted to her spot, as Manae slowly got up. She was wearing  
a traditional Japanese kimono, like Kikyo wore. The shirt of the  
kimono was a Lavender color, the pants were, from what Kia could see,  
black. Manae's black hair was longer than Kia's purple, and swept down  
to her lower back.  
Hiei stood behind Manae and watched patiently to see what Kia's  
reaction was going to be.

"Kia, am I correct?" Manae asked looking warmly at her, though Manae's  
voice betrayed her. She sounded rather annoyed.

"Yes." Kia said quietly, watching Manae's every move.

Manae chuckled suddenly, causing Kia to frown slightly.

"It's good that my reincarnation at least has a spine. Is she as firey  
as you say Hiei?"

Manae asked without taking her eyes off of Kia's.

"Yes, she wasn't afraid of Taka at all. She wanted to take him on in  
her dream. I had to wake her up."

Kia slightly blushed as Hiei recounted her dream experience.

Then Manae slowly walked around her, sizing her up.

"She seems to be in shape, but her time may be coming up, that's where  
you come in Hiei. You need to train her to the best of your ability.  
Taka won' easily be beaten. And he definitely doesn't need to destroy  
my soul."

Kia noticed that Manae seemed to be annoyed as she walked back in  
front of her.

"Manae-sama? Is.something wrong?"

Manae looked up at Kia, a grin on her face.

"My my Hiei, she's even polite. I'm just worried you won't have enough  
time to train very well before Taka makes his next move."

Kia nodded, thinking, then jumped up in the tree above her.

"So, uh do I pass, as an acceptable reincarnation?"

Manae looked up Kia, staring in awe a second before regaining her  
composure again.

"Yes, you look almost exactly like me. You also seem to be able to  
hold your own, and if what Hiei told me is true, you can fight well."

Kia jumped down as Hiei neared them. She smiled at Manae before  
standing beside Hiei, who turned to Manae to speak to her.

"Well Manae, we need to go now, but hopefully we'll be able to speak  
with you before Taka strikes again. It was nice seeing you again after  
a whole year."

He turned to go as Kia stayed behind a second.

"Jaa Manae-sama, I'm glad you approve of me, I was worried you'd hate  
me or something."

Manae waved as booth Kia and Hiei sped off towards the cabins.

"No, I'm glad you are my reincarnation Kia, you seem nice."

Manae spoke into the wind, watching the two disappear around a bend.

End

**AN:** _Stay tuned for chap 6, sorry I took soooooooooo long getting this up,  
seriously. I'll try to get them up faster._

Seigi Tsuki


End file.
